When we returned from Washinton, DC (and Colonial Beach), we left the Potomac River and crossed the Chesapeake Bay to Crisfield, Md. We choose to go to Crisfield, because it had tour boat access to both Smith Island and Tangiers Island, two places we wanted to visit, but did not feel comfortable trying to get our boat there and safely moored. If you don’t know anything about Smith Island or Tangiers Island, there are several good documentaries available on YouTube. These were the introductions that made us want to go to these Islands.

Crisfield is a nice state-owned marina (Somers Cove) that has easy access, is safe in most any kind of weather, has floating docks for transient boats, and has been well maintained. The town of Crisfield is nothing really to write home about. But we met some nice "transient" cruisers (like us), and after moving to allow the Secretary of the Navy to dock his boat where we were docked (yes, that really happened), some nice "local" cruisers that kept their boats there, full time.

There are several ways to get to these islands. You can go to the Crisfield town dock and try to get a ride over on one of the boats that deliver mail, supplies etc. Or you can charter a boat for the day to take you (very expensive). Or you pile on to one of the commercial excursion boats (what we did). First however, you have to find out how and where to buy a ticket. Cindy will tell you that this is a very well protected secret - but she finally cracked the codes! Dogs are welcome, so Ruby came along with us. It is about an hour (Smith Island) to 90 minute (Tangiers Island) one-way trip. The Captains do a good job of pointing out items of interest, and the time goes by quickly. You have about 2-1/2 hrs on the island, which allows you to look around, talk to people and have something for lunch.

Smith Island has a wonderful Restaurant that we highly recommend. Don’t miss the soft-shelled crab, and make sure you hear the story of how that soft-shell crab you are enjoying came to be! This is where most of them come from. You can also buy a Smith Island Cake (or just a slice) - yes, it is the Official Cake of Maryland! There is such great demand, that commercial production and distribution has moved to Crisfield. They have a really well-done museum that chronicles the history of the Island, as well as the current challenges they are facing.

Tangiers Island is actually in Virginia, which is only the beginning of the rivalry and squabbles between the people of the two islands. Tours of Tangiers were facilitated by the fact that the ladies of the town take you around in a stretch-golf-cart-limo and narrate what is what, how they make do, and some of the history. The older men of the island have a unique dialect, that can make it difficult to understand what they are saying. The women seem to work hard to make sure you do understand what they are saying.

Both of these islands are tied to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. They are “watermen”. Their lives revolve around their profession. Time seems to have passed them by, but they still hold on to what they know - the crabs, oysters and fish of the Bay. How much longer they will be able to continue is in question. Between the dwindling number of inhabitants that choose to stay on the island and embrace this life, the fact that their islands are sinking into the Bay, and the growing list of rules and regulations that they are being forced to live with, their time is numbered. If you get a chance to visit these islands, don’t pass up the opportunity. Spend an extra day and visit both - it is interesting to see the differences in how the people from each Island are dealing with their challenges.